S-0758.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5436

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Fraser, Morton, Eide, Swecker, Rasmussen, McAuliffe, Fairley, Oke, Patterson and Kline

Read first time 01/22/1999.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation.

Creating a program to recover abandoned fishing nets.

    AN ACT Relating to abandoned fishing nets; adding a new section to chapter 75.08 RCW; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that:

    (1) Abandoned fishing nets are a problem that pose a risk to the state's precious salmon resource;

    (2) Because these nets often exist below the surface of the water, they pose a unique challenge to locate and require a dedicated effort to remove; and

    (3) There are private agencies interested in partnering with the state to remove this threat.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 75.08 RCW to read as follows:

    The department shall oversee and coordinate action to locate and remove abandoned fishing nets that are adrift in the waters of the state.  The department may solicit assistance from private organizations to carry out efforts to locate and remove abandoned nets in the most cost-effective manner possible.  The department may accept useful donations of private materials, funds, or labor in order to locate and remove abandoned nets.  The department shall report back to the legislature before February 1, 2000, on the progress of this program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The sum of two hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, from the general fund to the department of fish and wildlife for the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

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